Process for the production of ketones



Patented Oct. 3, 1933 -rnoosss Fon'rm: PrioDUoTioN bF' q KETONES helm.Qu f l7 G st aI er'nianx as ,s nor means nmen s, o. the. firm i of Deu'tsche ficldund Silber-Scheideanstalt vormalsiRoessler, Frankiort-on-the-Main, Germany 7 No, Drawing, Application January '2, 1930,- Serial. r No .,419,209, and in Germany-January. 2.5519249 qjcaims. "(01,. get-a 3 The invention relates to the production or ketones, particularly acetone, by the action of water vapour on ketonizable bodies in the pres-.. ence of catalysts. The fundamental idea of the 5 invention resides therein that strong exothermic ketonizing reactions, as for example'the conversion of acetylene-"into acetone, are-combined with other ketonizing operations which arenot exothermic but preferably require the applica-. tion ofheat. 1'. When ketoniaing acetylene according to the formula 1 r 2C2Hz+3H20 -'(CI-Ial2CO-i-COg-1 2H for example about.80. calories per molecule of acetone formed are. released, It is, therefore, necessary for the purpose of; obviating deleterious overheating to takespecial precautions, forv rendering the heat-developed non-injurious. I v When ketonizing ethyl alcohol according to the formula. c

' 2C2H5OH+H2D= (CH3)2CO+CO2+4H2 there are required about 20 calories'per molecule of-the acetone formed. The necessary temperature must consequently be maintained by constant heating of the catalyst chamber.

It has now been found that it is possible to combine strong exothermic ketonizing of acetylene with the endothermic ketonizing of ethyl-alcohol by subjecting mixtures of acetyleneand ethyl alcohol with water vapour to a reaction. By adjusting the proportions of mixing it is possible to set the heat balance to a suitable value between 80 calories and -20 calories. For example the operation must be such that a slight excess of heat is available which is sufficient for compensating losses due to radiation and conduction. This requirement would for example be satisfied by proportions of mixing of 1 molecule acetylene to 3 molecules ethyl alcohol. The operation may, however, be also carried out with other proportions of amounts, for example with larger quantities of acetylene should this be desirable.

Further investigations have shown that other ketonizing processes which are not exothermic and are effected by the co-operation of water vapour, as for example the ketonizing of aldehydes, such as acetaldehyde (:0 calories), of acids such as acetic acid (-17 calories) of esters, as for example ethyl acetate (-12 calories), may be combined with exothermic processes as for example the ketonizing of acetylene. It is also possible to subject mixtures of substances, which contain a number of ketonizable substances, such as for example ethyl alcohol, .acetaldehyde; acetic P acid, ethyl acetate, as'occur in the'artfto; a com;-'

mcn ketonization with initialsubstances which.

can; be ketonia'ed expthermally. The ketoni'zing process mayalso be carried out inthe presence ofsubstances which do not partake in thereaction; as for example methyl alcohol-L" 1 a T l Finally it has also been-found that ketonizable compounds withmore than 2 C-atoms, as for ex; 'ainpleh-prop'anol,"butyraldehyde and the like, 5 can be ketonized together with'initial substances as'for example acetylene, In this'ma'nnenitfis possible also to produce mixed ketones. As catalysts there are preferablyused; oxygen compound of heavy metals, especially of iron, I which-are"capable of causing the water usedto react withthe ketoniiable-bodies. These catalysts are preferably used in combination-with ad-"- ditional substances (auxiliary catalysts) which improve the'act i'vity' thereof and prolong. the duration of their action. I As additional substances there may be considered amongst the actual cata- "lysts-yarious meta-loxygen' compounds, such-as for example aluminium Oxidabarium carbonate,

zinc carbonate, nickel oxide, lime, magnesia and the like, and further also metals themselves. With particular advantage there are used combinations of actual catalysts as for example ironoxygen compounds, oxygen-containing auxiliary catalysts, for example barium carbonate, and

metals, for examplemetallic iron. There may for example be used combinations of actual catalysts such as oxides of iron, manganese, uranium, tungsten, molybdenum and] oxygen-containing additional substances on metal carriers, for example in'such a manner that superficially oxidized iron, for example in the form of rusty iron shavings', is provided with a thin layer-of oxygen- .containing additional substances as for example manganese oxide, zinc oxide, nickel oxide or the like.

Metal-oxygen compounds occurring in nature such as ores and the like may be used alone or after being mixed with suitable additional substances as mixed catalysts which are well suited for the formation of acetone.

= The working temperatures may be kept within comparatively wide temperature limits, for example between 250 and 750 C. In general it has been found of advantage to operate be- 0 tween 350 and. 650 0., preferably between 400' and 550 C.

The proportions of the amounts between ketonizable bodies and water vapor may also fluctuate between considerable limits for example in such and so forth.

fully simultaneously under the same conditions of operation, for example as regards degree of temperature, speed of flow of the reaction gases Example A mixture of 1624 kg ethyl alcohol and, 100.8.7 cubic metres (0 I60 mm) acetylene are passed. with 18100 kg water vapor at 470 C. overa contact consisting of rusty iron sponge with an" additi n t 3% ma ane oxide, h e a e/9b: tained 1942 kg acetoneitogether with'26h kg unchanged ethyl alcohol. The yield, calculated bothupon ethyl alcohol consumed and the acetylene used, amounts to 39,1% of thetheoretical The above process can b e used with particular advantage when mixtur es;.' of the character above referred to occurin the courseof aproducing operation. For example in the production of acetaldehyde there; is obtained: by the deposition of water on acetylene a gasvapor mixture consisting of A nondecomposed acetylene and acetaldehyde togetherwith small quan- Water Vapor s a tic an iter'iemovalof the major portion of the-acetaldehyde bylco n c r a h n an eiimi h a tion of water ,vaporthisrnixture may be used as the initial material for the production of acetone in accordancewith the invention; The yield amounts to 90% and more.- It wiill be understood that the mixture-obtained mayhalso be ketonized. without previous separation of the acetaldehyde b the addition gfwater vapor if i this appears advantageous for any reason. r

,I claim:

The success:

1. A process for the production of ketones by reacting a mixture of ketonizable substances "and water vaporatshigh temperatures; the mixture including acetylene and a, substance which ketonizes endothermdcally selected from the group which consists of ethyl acetate, ethyl althe? ketoni'z'ablesubstances are admixed in such proportions andamounts that the thermal balance after thefp'rocess has started is maintained at substantially 'zero.

3. A process as set forth [in claim 1, wherein themixturesof ketonizable substances are reacted inthe presence of water vapor at temperatures within the range of 250 C.-750 C.

4. A process asset forth in claim 1, wherein the catalyst contains an auxiliary material .01 catalytic activity'comprising an oxide of a metal selected from the group which consists of 'alumi num, banium; zinc, nickel, calcium, magnesium, and manganese,-

5; A'PI'OCBSS as set'forth in claim 1, wherein the, catalystrcontains an auxiliary material. of catalytic activity which comprises an oxide of aametal selected from the group consisting of aluminum, barium, zinc, nickel, calcium,. magnesium,. and manganese deposited on a carrier.

'6. A process as set forth in claim 1, wherein the catalyst contains. barium carbonate as an auxiliary'catalyti cagent.

7. A process for theproduction'oflketones by reacting a mixtureof ketonizable substances and water'vapor at high temperatures, .the mixture including acetylene .and a substance that ketonizes endothermically, said substance being selected from the group which consists of ethyl acetate, ethyl alcohol, acetaldehyde andacetic acid, in the presence of a catalytic mixture comprising v essentially iron oxide and manganese oxide;

- 7 'WILHE MQUERFURTH."

'cohol, acetaldehyde and acetic acid, in the pres- 

